Pursuing Your Childhood Dream Job
Who’s Happy in their job today? And do you really need to follow what your kid-self wanted?
One of the more popular questions on StoryShelter is “When you were a child, what did you imagine you would be growing up? Are you doing that now?”
Based on the responses we pulled some data together to find that the majority of people, 71%, are NOT working in their childhood dream job. Almost 9% are currently working toward their childhood dream and 17% are doing exactly what they imagined as children or something almost identical.
The careers that came up most often as childhood dreams were veterinarian, teacher, writer/editor, and doctor. Archaeologist showed up several times as well!
Of course there were people who dreamed of being famous singers and athletes, but many people were not actually looking for fame, but personal fulfillment, financial wealth, and fun!
From what people said about their current work, the majority of respondents (66%) are Very Happy, Happy or Somewhat Happy in their careers, and a good portion of respondents (20%) are still figuring out their careers.
It seems that many people find themselves in unexpected careers, but are grateful for the way things worked out. They see how their childhood dream wouldn’t have actually suited them and are happy to have found a realistic career they enjoy. Here are some of their responses:
When you were a child, what did you imagine you would be when you grew up? Are you doing that now?
“HA! When I was a child I wanted to deliver babies. I thought newborn babies were so cute and I wanted to be the first person they saw out of the womb. Of course, as I grew up, I realized how much work it takes to be a doctor! Sadly, I am not doing that. My goals changed. Now, I’m a special education teacher. I LOVE MY JOB. I feel like I’m making a difference in the world! I would have NEVER imagined doing anything like this as a younger child though!” — Jamaie Thieman
When you were a child, what did you imagine you would be when you grew up? Are you doing that now?
When I was a child I always imagined that I would be working in the entertainment industry, especially as a singer but truthfully I would have taken any way possible if it meant being in the industry. Now I’m studying public relations instead as well as marketing and music as a minor. It’s not what I originally expected to be doing in life but I’m very happy with the decision to change my career aspirations. — Brianna LaRouche
But there is also a percentage of people who regret that they did not follow their childhood dreams:
When you were a child, what did you imagine you would be when you grew up? Are you doing that now?
When I was a child, the one and only thing I thought for sure I would be was a professional athlete. I was really a tremendous athlete and was constantly found playing something, whether organized or just out in the park. As I grew up I started to get involved in other, unimpressive activities that really ruined any chance I had for becoming what I always thought I would be. If I could do it all over again I would have certainly tried to have more foresight on making the right decisions because, believe it or not, I still believe to this day that I could have played professional baseball or football.” — Tad Hovet
If you’re looking for encouragement to stay optimistic and follow your dreams, there are both sides to the coin:
When you were a child, what did you imagine you would be when you grew up? Are you doing that now?
I’m weird in that I’ve always had a one-track-mind on that front. When I was three I discovered that science plus animals meant zoology, and there was no stopping me from there. People would often tell me that I would grow out of it eventually, or that I should keep my options open, but I never wavered. I’m 21 now, and got my first interview for an actual job at a zoo just this morning! No matter how old you are or what people tell you, if you have a dream that is strong enough, you CAN do it. — Aszya Summers
When you were a child, what did you imagine you would be when you grew up? Are you doing that now?
When I was a child I always imagined I’d be a very strong and wealthy movie star. Many people would know my face and name. I wanted to have everything. I thought if I was in charge of my own life that it could end up being everything I wanted it to be. I grew up eventually, and realized that isn’t how the world worked. It was a really hard lesson and sometimes to this day I find the whole let-down disappointing. I’m not living that way because I got hurt at work and never fully recovered. — Natasha Delfendahl
So what should we take from all of this? For the majority of respondents, a career is something that either took them a long time to discover or they are still currently figuring out. Everyone who had a strong inkling as a child that consistently stayed with them as they grew up is happy in their work today. But even if you aren’t following a childhood dream, you can still find happiness in what you do. The best thing to remember is that the whole process is a journey and the higher you can go on the scale from “somewhat happy” to “very happy,” — the better! Don’t give up hope that you can improve your career, even if you aren’t becoming the astronaut or cowgirl you thought you’d be!
